Teatime
by RedSavant
Summary: As Negi's training with Magica Erebea intensifies, a certain gynoid feels he's toeing a dangerous line. Fluff, angst, some kind of weird angst-fluff hybrid; if any of that sounds appealing, step right in.


**After another short break, I'm back, with ChachaNegi goodness. This story's been bouncing around inside my head for months, but now seemed like a good time to let it out -- and let's hope Chapter 262 doesn't disappoint!**

**Spoilers to about halfway through the Enter the Magical World arc. Hell if I know exactly where, and please don't try to figure it out.**

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Night had fallen some time ago. Negi accepted that fact, but his body still hummed with relentless energy. He sighed, shifting to a more comfortable position in his bed. The room was small but well-appointed, and the bed quite comfy; that wasn't the problem, and for once he suspected that having no one to snuggle with wasn't either.

No, the answer was both simpler and more complex than that. He felt… something. It wasn't fear, but another, less readily identifiable emotion. Making up his mind, Negi slipped out of bed and dressed quickly.

The hallway was dark and silent, as were all the passages he passed through on his way to the deck. He felt a little tension flow out of him as the cool night air struck his skin, but a walk wouldn't help alleviate his worries. Only one thing would do that.

"Ras Tel Ma Scir Magister," he whispered, slipping easily into a basic _kenpō_ stance. "Veniant Spiritus Aeriales Fulgurientes. Cum Fulguratione Flet Tempestas Austrina. Jovis Tempestas Fulguriens." Raw power crackled around him as he finished the incantation, but rather than loose the spell he raised one hand. "Stagnet. Complexio. Supplementum pro Armationem." The magical energy condensed into a rapidly-spinning ball of light, which sank into Negi's open palm as the swirling marks of the Magica Erebea began to swarm over his skin.

Negi worked through simple forms at first. Harnessing the wind and lightning energy of Jupiter's Storm, he was more than a match for anyone short of Takamichi; but it still wasn't enough. Fate Averruncus was no ordinary Magister, and it'd take more than a simple speed boost to defeat him.

Negi's limbs whipped around as he moved into the more complex forms. This was the full speed possible with Agilitas Fulminis, the speed he'd used against Fate, and three hits was all he had to show for it – aside from the gaping hole in the right shoulder of his traveling cloak. With a sharp cry, he planted his feet against the planking of the deck and punched out over the wooden railing, foregoing the release command. The members of Ala Alba were still wanted, and setting off a large-scale assault spell on an airship docked in Megalosembria wasn't the best way to avoid notice.

Taking a deep breath, Negi relaxed from his stance and let the dark magic fade from his body. The sudden return of the cold wasn't unexpected, but he couldn't repress a small shiver before starting back into the basic forms.

"Negi-sensei?" the voice was soft, and the barest hint of a synthetic hum under the words told him immediately who it was.

"Ah, Chachamaru-san," Negi greeted the gynoid, dropping his stance. "Shouldn't you be aslee – oh, sorry," he added hastily as she mounted the top of the stairs. Chachamaru stood almost six feet tall, and the boy Magister had to crane his neck upward as she approached.

"Asakura-san …rewound me earlier," she explained, stopping a few feet away. Fortunately, it was dark enough that Negi couldn't catch the faint flush in her cheeks. "Would you like some tea?" She offered the tray she carried; two steaming cups rested on it and despite the occasional gust of wind that shook the ship, there was no indication that either cup had spilled a single drop. "Chachazero was kind enough to share with me a recipe Master particularly enjoyed after her own sessions developing the Magica Erebea. Of course, the original included several ingredients that would be toxic to you, and I have removed them."

"Thank you very much, Chachamaru-san. I'm sorry that I only got to attend one tea ceremony before we came here," Negi replied, sipping gently at the tea. "Mm, it's delicious!" Chachamaru made a small squeaking sound and buried her nose in her own cup.

Negi took another sip, letting the tea swirl around his tongue despite its heat. It was thick and sweet, tasting faintly of vanilla and some other herb he couldn't identify. Chachamaru had added a goodly amount of milk to the cup, as well; the part of him that was still ten years old was thrilled at the gesture. He was struck by a mental image of Evangeline, hair out of place and clothes in a shambles, wearing the same bemused expression she usually did when she was having fun and refused to admit it. He chuckled into his drink.

"Um, Negi-sensei, I… I am very glad you like it," Chachamaru murmured, turning away. Negi blinked.

"Is something wrong, Chachamaru-san?"

"Wrong? N-no, of course not. But…" Chachamaru paused for so long that, if it had been another of his students, Negi would've guessed she'd fallen asleep on the railing. "Sensei," she finally continued, "the Magica Erebea feeds on the body and the soul. That is the way of the path of darkness. In return for unmatchable power, the magic turns its user away from their friends and from the people… who…" she trailed off, but before Negi could speak she forged ahead. "Sensei, Master spent hundreds of years alone after learning the Magica Erebea. Admittedly, a large part of ­her isolation was the result of her nature as a shinsō, but even after her imprisonment within the grounds of Mahora she was reserved, even hostile, to everyone in class 3-A. Her disposition has been improving since you arrived, but… I do not want to see you go down that path." Though even the state-of-the-art machinery Chao and Hakase had built had its limits, the lubricant fluid that welled from Chachamaru's eyes reflected the moonlight with the luster of human tears. "Negi-sensei, I –"

She broke off as Negi laid his hand on hers. "Don't worry, Chachamaru-san," he said quietly. "I don't want power for its own sake. _That's_ the path of darkness. I want to protect my students – my _nakama_," he corrected himself. "I'm going to get everyone back to Mahora, even if the way home is through Fate. I'll do whatever I have to, but I'll never forget my friends."

Negi felt a coolness on his head. The next time Chachamaru spoke, the soft movements of her lips stirred his hair. "Be careful, Negi…kun," she breathed, a tiny hitch in her voice.

Abruptly, she straightened up. "You should return to bed, Negi-sensei," she said, her tone businesslike. "Remaining awake for more than fifteen hours at a time places unnecessary stress on the body and the mind."

"That sounds like a good idea," Negi replied, stifling a yawn that seemed summoned by the mention of bed. "Thank you for the tea, Chachamaru-san...and for your kind words." He gathered the tray and empty cups and disappeared down the stairs, walking quietly – waking any of the girls would be a disaster, but heaven forbid he wake Paru or Konoka. "Goodnight," he called softly from the foot of the staircase.

"Goodnight," Chachamaru whispered. She turned back to the railing with a sigh, letting her eyes trace over the golden glow of Megalosembria and the unearthly glow of the mists surrounding Ostia. After a few moments she slid to her knees, staring through the finely-carved bars of the railing at the clouds drifting past the moon. With a few clicks, she accessed the sensory data that had been stored deep within her private files.

Warm, with Negi's hand in hers, Chachamaru sat there until dawn.

**--**

**I love Chachamaru. Does it show?**

**Remember, reviews are love; my ultimate goal here is to become a better writer, and I can only do that with constructive criticism. Where else will you get thanked for nitpicking, eh?**


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